Collection of Mercury Switches and Mercury Switch Assemblies from Vehicles

Transcription

1 Department of the Environment Collection of Mercury Switches and Mercury Switch Assemblies from Vehicles September 1, 2010 August 31, 2011 Prepared by: Land Management Administration Prepared for: The Maryland General Assembly Annapolis, MD Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., Senate President Maryland General Assembly Michael E. Busch, House Speaker Maryland General Assembly September 2011 MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT 1800 Washington Boulevard Baltimore, MD x3314 TTY Users: Martin O Malley, Governor Anthony G. Brown, Lt. Governor Robert Summers, Ph.D., Secretary

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Background... 1 Overview of Mercury Switch Collection Program... 1 Report of Required Information... 2 Highlights of MDE Activities Implementation Challenges Future Activities APPENDIX APPENDIX MANUFACTURERS IMPLEMENTATION REPORT... A-1 The Waste Diversion and Utilization Program of the Maryland Department of the Environment produced this report. Contents may be used without permission, provided credit is given.

3 Background In the 2009 session, the Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 1263, concerning mercury switch removal from end-of-life vehicles. This bill became law on July 1, The impetus for the law was concern that processing scrap metal from motor vehicles was causing releases of mercury to the environment from mercury-containing switches. The law requires removal of mercury-containing switches from end-of-life vehicles by vehicle recyclers and by scrap processing facilities. Manufacturers of vehicles with mercury switches are required to develop and implement a mercury minimization plan that will assist entities required to remove mercury-containing switches from vehicles. Following are the relevant sections of the Environment Article, Annotated Code of Maryland: Section (Findings), Section (Definitions), Section (Mercury minimization plan), Section (Mercury switches or mercury switch assemblies), and Section (Violations and penalties). Section (j) of the Environment Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, requires the Maryland Department of the Environment ( Department or MDE ) to submit a report to the General Assembly by October 1 of each year on the implementation of the law. The report is to include information on: 1. The number of mercury switches and mercury switch assemblies recovered from vehicles; 2. The capture rate of switch recovery achieved; 3. The number of switches projected to be recovered; 4. The amount and use of funds paid into the State Recycling Trust Fund for the administration of the law; and 5. Any recommendations to improve the provisions of the law or to increase the capture rate of mercury switches from vehicles. This document is submitted in fulfillment of the requirement of Section (j) of the Environment Article, Annotated Code of Maryland. This report covers the period from September 1, 2010 through August 31, Overview of Mercury Switch Collection Program Under Maryland law, vehicle manufacturers that sold vehicles containing mercury switches in Maryland must develop a mercury minimization plan. The plan ensures that manufacturers will be responsible for removal and collection of mercury switches from end-of-life vehicles before the vehicles are processed at vehicle recycling and scrap processing facilities. Processing includes intentionally flattening, crushing, bailing or shredding. The plan is required to include information on the location of mercury-containing switches in vehicles by make, model, and model year; information on the safe and environmentally responsible removal and handling of mercury-containing switches; a plan for implementing and financing the removal, collection, and recovery of mercury-containing switches; payments to vehicle recyclers for each mercury-containing switch collected in accordance with the mercury minimization plan; and maintenance of appropriate record-keeping systems associated with implementation of the plan. 1

4 Vehicle manufacturers that installed mercury-containing switches have established a nationwide collection program for automotive mercury switches. This program is being implemented by the End of Life Vehicle Solutions Corporation (ELVS), an entity created by a consortium of motor vehicle manufacturers. The ELVS website ( states that ELVS was created by the automotive industry to promote the industry s environmental efforts in recyclability, education and outreach, and the proper management of substances of concern. Automobile manufacturers are relying on the ELVS mercury switch collection program to serve as the core of the Maryland approved mercury minimization plan that the manufacturers were required to develop and implement under Maryland law. Under the program, ELVS provides vehicle recyclers and scrap processors with specially designed containers for collection, temporary storage, and shipping of mercury switches removed from end-of-life vehicles. Pre-paid shipping is included with containers that are provided to program participants. ELVS has developed educational materials that identify which vehicles have mercury switches, where the switches are located on the vehicles, and how the switches should be removed. These educational materials are provided to program participants, and are also made available on the ELVS website ( Maryland participants are eligible for bounty payments from ELVS of $4.00 per mercury light switch or mercury light switch assembly and $6.00 per mercury-containing antilock braking system (ABS) unit, provided the switches are delivered to ELVS in accordance with requirements specified in the program plan. The plan also provides for a payment from ELVS to MDE of $1.00 for each mercury switch delivered to ELVS in accordance with the plan. ELVS submitted its mercury minimization plan for review by MDE on September 27, On October 27, 2009, ELVS submitted a revised plan that addressed issues arising from the General Motors bankruptcy and reorganization. The Department reviewed the plan and provided ELVS with written comments on October 30, ELVS provided MDE with a revised plan on November 23, 2009 and MDE approved the plan on January 25, As of August 31, 2011, ELVS had enrolled 120 participants from Maryland in the collection program. Not all of these are unique entities, however. It appears that for business purposes, some participants are operating under multiple names at the same location. The number of unique participants enrolled includes 94 vehicle recyclers and 14 scrap processing facilities. Report of Required Information This section of the report presents information required by Section (j) of the Environment Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, to be reported to the General Assembly. The information is presented in the order it is listed in Section (j). Number of mercury switches and mercury switch assemblies recovered from vehicles: 2

5 From September 1, 2010 through August 31, 2011, a total of 7,471 mercury switches, yielding pounds of mercury, were delivered to the ELVS recycling contractor from Maryland vehicle recyclers and scrap processing facilities. This is an increase of 5.2% compared to the previous twelve months (7,104 switches). From January 1, 2011 to August 31, 2011, a total of 6,764 mercury switches, yielding pounds of mercury, were delivered to the ELVS recycling contractor from Maryland. Appendix A: 2010 Manufacturers Implementation Report required from vehicle manufacturers, details collection activities for CY Note that there is a lag between the time that participants remove switches from vehicles and the time that the switches are delivered to ELVS because it takes time to accumulate enough switches to fill the collection/shipping container. Containers must be shipped within one year of beginning collection, regardless of the number of switches collected. Data from is presented in the following table and chart: Calendar Year Number of Switches Collected Pounds of Mercury Collected ** 2011 * 6, , , , TOTAL 27, * 2011 data for period January 1, 2011 through August 31, 2011, period covered by report. An additional 4,247 switches and 9.19 pounds of mercury were collected from September 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011, for an overall 2011 total of 11,011 switches and pounds of mercury collected. ** Per ELVS, 450 switches = 1 pound of mercury. Pounds of Hg Calendar Year (except 2011, which is Jan. 1 - Aug. 31 ) Lbs. of Hg. of Switches 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 of Switches 3

6 Month-by-month data on the number of switches turned in to ELVS from September 1, 2010 through August 31, 2011, are shown in the following table: Number of Month Switches Sept-10 0 Oct-10 0 Nov Dec Jan-11 1,009 Feb-11 1,185 Mar Apr May-11 1,357 Jun Jul Aug TOTAL 7,471 Capture rate of switch recovery achieved: ELVS uses the Switch Retirement Model developed by the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (NVMSRP) Measurement Committee to identify switch populations and estimate mercury switch retirement rates through The NVMSRP was developed through a collaborative effort involving the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, states, environmental organizations, and several industry sectors. More information on the NVMSRP is available at The Switch Retirement Model uses historic information on vehicle sales by state, estimates of vehicle scrappage rates as a function of vehicle age, and information on the average number of mercury switches per vehicle to estimate the number of switches expected to be in vehicles scrapped each year, by state. The model estimates the total number of mercury switches installed in vehicles manufactured before automobile model year 2003 to be 169,185,000 in vehicles sold in the United States. The 2002 model year was the last year that mercury switches were installed in vehicles. Most of the vehicles containing these switches have already been taken out of service. The model estimates that 18,339,000 mercury switches nationally will be taken out of service from 2011 through The number of mercury switches available for collection from vehicles taken out of service in Maryland from 2011 through 2017 is estimated at 263,000. The model estimates that 48,000 mercury switches were available for collection from vehicles taken out of service in Maryland in calendar year The following table presents detailed estimates for switches available for recovery, by year, as estimated by the Switch Retirement Model: 4

7 Maryland Mercury Switch Model 5 Switches in Operation Scrapped 2007 Switches Switches Switches Switches Switches Year Model Scrappage Rate as of 7/ In Operation Scrapped In Operation Scrapped In Operation Scrapped In Operation Scrapped In Operation 1973 & OLDER ,818 4,407 17, , ,983 3,918 15, , , ,482 3,426 13, , , , ,799 3,097 12, ,058 1,022 4, , , ,051 2,886 11, ,318 1,219 5,098 1,030 4, , , , ,687 1,422 6,265 1,209 5,056 1,021 4, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,546 1,299 7,247 1,167 6,080 1,028 5, , , ,242 2,210 13,032 1,981 11,051 1,779 9,272 1,567 7,705 1,364 6, ,847 2,835 18,012 2,612 15,400 2,341 13,059 2,103 10,957 1,852 9, ,873 4,499 30,375 4,131 26,244 3,805 22,438 3,411 19,028 3,063 15, ,462 3,928 28,534 3,681 24,853 3,380 21,473 3,114 18,359 2,791 15, ,449 4,725 36,724 4,444 32,280 4,164 28,116 3,824 24,292 3,522 20, ,526 5,992 50,534 5,761 44,773 5,418 39,356 5,077 34,279 4,662 29, ,336 4,587 41,749 4,425 37,323 4,255 33,069 4,001 29,067 3,750 25, ,654 4,476 44,177 4,374 39,804 4,219 35,585 4,057 31,528 3,815 27, ,356 3,600 38,756 3,566 35,190 3,484 31,706 3,361 28,345 3,231 25, ,606 4,181 49,425 4,201 45,224 4,161 41,063 4,065 36,998 3,922 33, ,074 4,823 61,250 4,778 56,473 4,800 51,672 4,754 46,919 4,645 42, ,409 2,655 44,754 3,267 41,487 3,236 38,251 3,251 35,000 3,220 31, ,912 1,790 37,122 2,079 35,044 2,558 32,485 2,534 29,952 2,546 27, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,725 1,105 18, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,942 Total 713,713 66, ,697 63, ,595 59, ,687 56, ,354 52, ,609 Note: Switches available for collection estimated by subtracting inaccessible switches due to vehicle damage, end of life vehicle exports, and lost or stolen vehicles which do not enter the recycling stream from total switches, Switches Newly Available in MD for Collection: 61,000 51,000 51,000 51,000 48,000

8 6 Scrappage Year Model Rate 1973 & OLDER Scrapped 2012 Switches 2013 In Operation Scrapped 2013 Switches 2014 In Operation Scrapped 2014 Switches 2015 In Operation Scrapped 2015 Switches 2016 In Operation Scrapped 2016 Switches 2017 In Operation Scrapped ,721 10, ,050 2,585 10, , ,249 8, , , ,959 7, , , ,724 6, , , , , ,109 1,600 6, ,173 5, , , , , , ,612 7,494 1,386 6,107 1,179 4, , , , ,698 13,266 2,348 10,918 2,020 8,898 1,717 7,181 1,451 5,730 1,158 4, ,507 13,062 2,208 10,855 1,921 8,933 1,653 7,281 1,405 5,876 1,187 4, ,157 17,613 2,836 14,777 2,497 12,280 2,174 10,106 1,870 8,237 1,590 6, ,294 25,323 3,849 21,473 3,457 18,016 3,045 14,972 2,650 12,322 2,279 10, ,443 21,874 3,172 18,703 2,843 15,860 2,553 13,306 2,249 11,058 1,957 9, ,575 24,138 3,283 20,855 3,024 17,831 2,710 15,121 2,434 12,686 2,144 10, ,039 22,075 2,848 19,227 2,615 16,613 2,409 14,204 2,159 12,045 1,939 10, ,771 29,305 3,546 25,759 3,323 22,436 3,051 19,385 2,811 16,574 2,519 14, ,481 37,793 4,308 33,484 4,052 29,433 3,797 25,636 3,486 22,149 3,212 18, ,146 28,634 3,035 25,598 2,918 22,680 2,744 19,936 2,572 17,364 2,362 15, ,521 24,884 2,464 22,421 2,377 20,044 2,285 17,759 2,149 15,610 2,014 13, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,359 17,261 1,346 15,915 1,353 14,562 1,340 13,222 1,309 11,913 1,263 10, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,060 1,153 23,907 1,339 22,568 1,647 20,921 1,632 19,289 1,640 17,649 Total 49, ,546 45, ,173 41, ,546 37, ,573 34, ,456 30, ,020 Switches Newly Available in MD for Collection: 44,000 41,000 38,000 34,000 31,000 27, Switches In Operation

9 To determine the capture rate (CR) in Maryland for the reporting period September 1, 2010 through August 31, 2011, the number of switches available during this period was calculated as follows: September 1 through December 31, 2010, the number of switches available was 51,000 x (4/12) = 17,000 January 1 through August 31, 2011, the number of switches available was 48,000 x (8/12) = 32,000. Therefore, the CR from September 1, 2010 through August 31, 2011 is: Number of SwitchesTurned In 7,471 = Capture Rate or = or 15.3% Number of Total Switches 49,000 As mentioned above, there can be a significant lag time before a switch that has been removed is turned in for recycling. Also, economic concerns related to the recession may have reduced the number of switches available as vehicle owners keep vehicles in operation longer. There may be some uncertainty in the model s estimate of the number of switches available because the model assumes that a vehicle that was purchased in Maryland will be scrapped in Maryland. That does not take into account such factors as vehicles being taken out of state by persons who relocate, and trade-in vehicles being sent out of state by new car dealers. However, this could be happening in other states as well, resulting in vehicles originally purchased elsewhere being scrapped in Maryland. Number of switches projected to be available for recovery: The NVMSRP Switch Retirement Model, available on the ELVS web page at provides the following estimates for number of end-of-life vehicle mercury switches available in Maryland through 2017: Estimated Switches Year Available from Vehicles Scrapped in Maryland , , , , , , , ,000 7

10 Year Estimated Switches Available from Vehicles Scrapped in Maryland , , ,000 Total 477,000 Amount and use of funds paid into the State Recycling Trust Fund: For this report, from September 1, 2010 through August 31, 2011, MDE has been paid $4,895 by ELVS ($5,381 for State Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 (July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011)). As stated in the manufacturers mercury minimization plan, ELVS pays the State the $1.00 required under the statute only upon receiving proper paperwork from program participants. The switch recovery plan MDE approved includes the statement ELVS will further authorize the payment of $1 for each form verified (emphasis added) mercury convenience light switch or mercury containing ABS assembly to the Maryland Department of the Environment. The limited funds received are being applied toward program staff costs and outreach activities. These expenditures include mailings to vehicle recycling facilities, and staff contacts by phone and in person with regulated facilities. In State FY 2011, $32, was charged against the State Recycling Trust Fund. Details on these expenditures are provided in the following financial statement. 8

11 RECYCLING TRUST FUND MERCURY AUTO SWITCH ACTIVITY July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011 A. Beginning Fund Balance 7/01/10 $0.00 B. FY 2011 Receipts Mercury Vehicle Switch Payments from ELVS $5, C. Total Funds Available FY 2011 (A+B) $5, FY 2011 Expenditures D. Salaries and Wages ($32,696.93) Technical and Special Fees 0 Communications ($0.64) Travel 0 Utilities 0 Motor Vehicle Operations and Maintenance 0 Contractual Services 0 Supplies and Materials ($127.00) Equipment 0 Grants 0 Fixed Charges 0 Subtotal ($32,824.57) Indirect Costs (12.32%) ($2,331.75) Total Expenditures ($35,156.32) E. Balance in Fund June 30, 2011 ($29,775.32)* * Expenditures covered by other revenue sources in the Recycling Trust Fund. Zero ($0) Fund balance for mercury vehicle switch recovery program beginning on July 1,

12 Highlights of MDE Activities During the period covered by this report, MDE performed outreach activities to inform vehicle recyclers and scrap processing facilities of their obligations to remove and collect mercury switches from end-of-life vehicles. Outreach activities included direct mailings to members of the auto recycling industry, telephone calls, and site visits. On December 22, 2010, a letter was sent to 103 Maryland participants in the ELVS program. The purpose of that letter was to: remind participants of the requirements of the law; alert participants concerning the deadline of December 31, 2010, for completion of the inventory requirements under the law; and provide participants with information to help them comply with the law s requirements. The letters included a Frequently Asked Questions document providing additional information on program requirements and implementation. MDE made 20 site visits to auto recyclers to gather information on program implementation and provide compliance assistance. Since the switch removal requirement was still a relatively new mandate, the visits were not intended to be enforcement inspections. The Department plans on visiting the remaining 60 businesses, which fall under the scope of the law but have not registered, by December 22, Additionally, MDE will continue conducting site visits of businesses with a goal of visiting 4 5 facilities each month. The Department has also obtained lists of entities that the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) has licensed as either an Automotive Dismantler and Recycler (ADR) or a Scrap Processor. The Department is using these lists to identify additional facilities that may be subject to the switch removal requirements so that the Department can contact them. A review of the Scrap Processors licensed by MVA reveals that all of the 14 licensed processors are already taking part in the ELVS program. Under Maryland law (Section of the Transportation Article, Annotated Code of Maryland), there is a requirement that automotive dismantlers and recyclers and scrap processors provide electronic notification to MVA or MVA s designee when a vehicle has been acquired for dismantling or scrapping. The Department was advised by MVA that the notification information is managed by the Maryland State Police. The Department is attempting to gain access to this information for possible use in evaluating whether persons are meeting their switch removal requirements. The Department is also conducting spot checks on automobile recyclers to evaluate whether their inventory of collected switches is consistent with the number of mercury switches in vehicles they are known to have been scrapped. 10

13 Implementation Challenges Payment to the State by vehicle manufacturers of $1 per switch recovered, as mandated in the statute, is a concern because the manufacturers are only making payments for switches accompanied by ELVS-required paperwork that is completely and correctly filled out. As a result, the State received only $5,381 in payments in FY Additionally, some program participants may not consider the burden of filling out the ELVS paperwork worth the bounty of $4 or $6 per switch that ELVS will reimburse for properly documented switches. Also, since the switch bounty is considered income for tax purposes, some participants are forgoing the bounty so as not to further complicate their tax filings. An observation from site visits is that participants are frequently slow to turn in switches they have collected. Additional outreach efforts will encourage the timely shipment of switches once the collection buckets are approaching full. The electronic record-keeping requirement of the statute continues to be difficult for some affected facilities to comply with. While many of the auto recycling operations are large with sophisticated inventory control, others are small operations with limited computer capability. There is a problem with program participants turning in ineligible switches, such as airbag switches, and failing to submit the required log sheet pertaining to the acceptable switches actually turned in. Reports on switch collection submitted by ELVS to the Department typically show that 3-10 percent of switches submitted by individual participants fail validation checks. Future Activities The Department will continue outreach activities, concentrating on making sure that all parties subject to the mercury switch removal requirement are aware of the law and what they need to do to maintain compliance. The highest priority will be to ensure that all vehicle recyclers and scrap processing facilities that manage end-of-life vehicles are enrolled with ELVS and understand their obligations. Site visits will continue as an information gathering tool; a means of providing compliance assistance; and enforcement evaluation relating to old inventory, storage, and shipping violations. 11

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